George,

My similar situation occurred because the coolant tank cap had a
hairline crack, almost unobservable to the naked eye.  I replaced the
cap, (cost: about $15.00 from the dealer) bled the system using a
bicycle pump and an "ad hoc" connection made from the valve stem of an
inner tube.  A scrap stem from a tire shop will do just fine.

The bicycle pump technique may be listed in the Archives.  If not,
uncouple the hose, connect the "ad hoc" connection, open the bleeder
screws at the radiator and in the engine compartment, and pump coolant,
a cup or two at a time -by topping off the coolant tank as necessary-
through the system until only coolant, and not air, emerges from the
radiator bleeder screw. Leaving the van undriven, I "pumped" every day
for about three days, until all of the air in the system was
discharged.  Do this exercise with a cold engine. All that "revving" and
18-inch " front end up" activity of the conventional method is avoided.

Then, I repaired the "old" cap, by using a "Crazy Glue" kind of glue,
the cyanide kind, the name of which I can't spell, and I keep it as a
spare.  That "repair and spare" suggestion was offered by a Listee who
worked in a garage, and who used the method routinely.

Regards,

Tom Hanlon
Palm Springs, CA
84 Westfalia

Geo Hahn wrote:
>
> "ThomasD. Hanlon" wrote:
>
> > What was the correct analysis, or direction?
>
> We will bleed (once again) the system, replace the coolant expansion tank
> cap, then use an emissions "sniff" test (if we're still getting air into the
> system) to see if the "air" is indeed combustion products.
>
> I think the upshot will be a head gasket(s) replacement but this at least
> gives us a methodical approach to confiriming that is the problem & solution.
>
> Geo H